View From HQ - 2010/05

168 MODEL AVIATION
Executive Director Jim Cherry
he “View From HQ” is one of the
best places I know to share
information that can be used by the
majority of the members. Sitting in the
executive director’s office, I receive
recurring calls for help concerning club
management.
An old saying in association
management is that no one reads the bylaws
until there is a problem. If they are out-ofdate,
ineffective, or have been ignored for a
number of years, in the press of a crisis it’s
too late to change them. This applies not
only to bylaws, but to club procedures and
policy manuals.
This is not the most exciting thing to talk
about or work on, but a little talking and
work today can save all kinds of problems
later. A well-respected club officer had
recently called me to discuss a problem. At
my request, he documented his problem
where no clear ownership of some club
property could be determined.
I believe we can all learn a lesson from
his comments. At his request, he shall
remain anonymous.
“From time to time, and more often
lately, the Academy is contacted about a
variety of organizational issues that clubs
face. They include such topics as tax status,
internal financial controls, copyright of
written material, trademarks, and Web [site]
ownership.
“Most clubs get started as a simple
T
No one reads the bylaws
until there is a problem.
View From HQ
organization with a bunch of guys and gals
pursuing their collective enjoyment of all
things ‘aviation.’ Problems arise when the
‘bunch’ becomes 100-plus strong with
money in the bank, income beyond that of
membership dues, professional-grade
newsletters, nationally recognized events,
and killer Web sites.
“Who owns what? Is there a state
business ID number? Is there a federal tax
ID number? Is it worthwhile to file for
Non-Profit Social Club Status (503c7)?
How does the club protect itself from
financial fraud or worse (one individual
wiping out the treasury)? Are all financial
accounts in the club’s name?
“Do you have copyright protection on
your publications? Is your most prestigious
event protected with a trademark?
“Has the club established true
ownership of the Web site with a written
document outlining ownership and
responsibilities of the webmaster? Are
there backup documents with account and
Web site passwords in the hands of current
officers?
“There is a lot to think about. And the
time to think about it is before there is a
question. Sample tax forms are available on
the AMA Web site under ‘Documents.’
The same goes for bylaws.
“Many clubs establish specific ways for
finances to be handled (check requests,
income statements, expense forms,
timelines of submissions, etc.). Are those
forms and policies in your club’s
documents? There is nothing that will
screw up a club’s financials like getting a
four-year-old bill from a member who
forgot to ask for reimbursement for a
$1,000 lawn mowing and fertilizer invoice.
“There are no easy answers. The
answers also depend on the comfort level
of the membership. Suffice to say that
waiting until the club is ‘held hostage’ with
the inability to access accounts or Web sites,
that your premier event is now sponsored by
another group, that there is not enough cash
on hand to pay bills, etc., is not the time to
come up with a plan.”
Another thought about “who owns what”
is the transition when new officers are
elected. A checklist of what needs to be
passed on to the incoming officers will help
avoid confusion. Large and small companies
engage in succession planning where
leadership is groomed for the future.
Although we don’t tend to think of our clubs
needing such transition plans, we all could
benefit from a little forward thinking.
July is approaching, and I encourage
everyone to become familiar with the new
AMA contest calendar on the AMA Web
site at www.modelaircraft.org/events/
calendar.aspx. The search feature
encompasses events as far as 12 months out
as opposed to just the three months
published in MA. This is an added benefit.
In March I attended the Southeastern
Model Show in Perry, Georgia. This is the
largest swap meet I am aware of in the
United States. Norm Deputy and his fellow
Georgia Aircraft Modelers Association club
members do an excellent job of coordinating
more than 1,000 tables and hundreds of
vendors. I was told that the tables normally
sell out before the Christmas holidays.
It was common to meet members who
had driven more than 600 miles to attend
this two-day show. The Miracle Strip RC
Club, as far away as Panama City, Florida,
purchased table space and joined the fun and
fellowship.
The AMA had a booth at the show and
we enjoyed meeting members at the event.
If you’re not in the neighborhood on March
4-5, 2011, you may want to take that drive
and experience the nation’s largest model
aviation swap meet. MA
In the spirit of flight.
Jim Cherry
Executive Director
[email protected]
The AMA booth at the Southeastern
Model Show in Perry GA.
Wendy Wisehart staffed the AMA retail
booth at the swap meet.
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